Knockdown crate



Jan. 1, 1929.

. 6 1,697,466 K. K. MCENTYRE KNOCKDOWN CRATE Filed March 19. 1924 2 Sheets--Sheet K. K. M ENTYRE KNOCKDOWN CRATE Jan 1, 1929. I 1, 97,4

Filed March 19, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

raise ETE , KENT KANE MCENTYRE, OF CALHOUN, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MURRAY L. UPSHAW, OF RYIDAL, GEORGIA.

KNOCKDOWN CRATE.

Application filed March 19, 1924. Serial No. 700,277.

This invention relates to'crates, and par ticularly to knock-down crates or boxes such as are used for poultry, vegetables, eggs, and a large number of other commodities.

Thegeneral object of the'invention is to provide a very simple crate which, when folded, is extremely compact so that the return charges onthe crate-are very small and which, when expanded,constitutesa.full sized crate thoroughly braced for shipment, and which the parts arelocked in their expanded condition againstany accidental tendency to knock down. Y

A further object is to provide a construction of this character having corner posts for the endsand sides which are so arranged that when the crate or box is collapsed the corner posts will move downward outof the way of each other, 'the end corner posts holding the sides and the side corner posts locked or closed. I I

A still'further object :in this same connection is to providea construction of this character wherein when the sides are lifted into vertical position and the ends are lifted into vertical position, the'sides will hold the ends against collapse, means being provided for locking the sidesi in this vertical position.

Another object 'is'to provide a construction wherein the slats or equivalent elements are on the outside-of the frame, thus making repair work particularly "easy.

Still another object isto provide a device of this character having relatively few pieces and this being much more easily constructed than most of the knock-down crates or boxes lzno-wnto me.

A further-object is to provide a construction of this character wherein the hinges holding the corner posts in place are bolted to the relatively heavy bottom of the box or crate so that this hinged connection of the post to the bottom will withstand rough usage.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a crate constructed in accord ance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1 V Figure 3 is a section on the line 3'3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan View of one corner ofthe-crate;

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the bottom .portion of the crate partially collapsed;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through the construction shown in Figure 5, but showing the crate fully collapsed with the cover in place thereon;

Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Referring to these drawings, it will beseen that my improved crate comprises abottom board 10 which has a width equal to the extreme width o f the crate and a length some- 'what greater than the body ofthe crate. This bottom is preferably solid, though not :necessarily so, and at its end carries two transversely extending cleats .11 projecting up from the upper face of the bottom.

Hinged to the bottom at each-end of each cleat 11 is a vertical corner ,post 12, the two corner posts 12 at each end of the bottom oarrying transverse slats 13, these slats being disposed upon the outside-of the corner posts, and the lowermost slat engages with the inner face of the corresponding cleat on that end when the corner posts1 2-are in'a vertical position. The corner .posts 12 are hinged to the bottom by means of hinges :14; which are en gaged with those faces of the corner posts re mote fromthe transverse cleats 11 so that the corner posts '12 move downward and inward toward each other and "into contact with the upper face of thefloor 10 or bottom when the ends are turned down into collapsed position.

The sides are formed of-horizontal rails 15 "which are connected at their ends to the corner posts 16, and these vcorner posts '16 are disposed just directly inside of thecorner post 12 and are hinged by hinges 17, to the bottom of the box or crate so that the sides and, of course, the corner posts with them, wil'l'turn downward against the box in a plane at right angles to 'theplane of movement of the ends of the box or crate. It will be noted from Figure 3 that the hinges 17 are so disposed that when these corner posts 16 are turned down against the bottom 10 that the butt ends of these corner posts are out of line with the corner posts 12 so that these corner posts in turn may be turned down upon the bottom 10. It is also to he noted that the corner posts 16 have less thickness than the corner posts 12 so that the slats 13 bear preferably these bolts 18 pass down through the bottom and are engaged on their under sides with washers 19, illustrated as angular in form and through which the bolts pass,

these washers being bolted, screwed, nailed or otherwise attached to the bottom of the box. Preferably the longitudinal slats of the sides 15 are reinforced by transverse braces 20 which may be of relatively light construction. This is to prevent these transverse slats from sagging. The top is formed by end pieces 21 and longitudinal pieces 22, these end pieces being wider than the longitudinal pieces 22 so as to project above the longitudinal pieces.

Attached to the longitudinal pieces and extending longitudinally of the crate' are the slats 23, these slats being attached to the out side of the longitudinal pieces and being braced at their middle by two transverse spaced braces 24. An opening 25 is left in the center of the cover, and hinged to one wall of this opening is'a trap 26, this trap being normally held down by means of any suitable latch or bolt 27. Of course, under some circumstances or in some forms of crates there is no necessity of a trap or door of this character, but in poultry crates and the like a door of this character is necessary.

It is to be noted in Figure 2 that the braces 2 1 do not extend into engagement or contact with the longitudinal side bars but terminate short of these side bars a distance equal to the thickness of the longitudinal slats of the side walls 15. Thus it will be seen that when the side walls 15 are vertically disposed and the cover is in place that the ends of the cross braces 24: will bear against these side Walls and willhold the side walls from any inward movement, thus locking the side walls in their vertical position and, of course, the sidewalls in turn lock the end walls from any inward movement and thus the crate is locked against collapse. In addition to this, obviously bolts or other latches might be used for the purpose of holding these side walls in vertical position and the sides in squared relation. When the side walls are turned down upon the bottom and the end walls are turned down upon the side walls, as illustrated in Figure'6, the cover fits down over the butt ends of the side walls. Straps 28 or connections of any character are provided and these straps coact with buckles 29 upon the upper section so that when the top is brought down upon the folded lower section the straps pass through the buckles and the whole structure is held then in very compact form for return shipment. These straps, as illustrated in Figure 1, also act to hold the top of the ,cover securely down upon the terior of the frame and, therefore, may be readily taken off and replaced even in transit. A poultry crate will be ordinarily about twelve inches high but when folded it will only have a height of three inches, and while I do not wish to be limited to any actual dimensions, it will be obvious that, broadly speaking, the crate will have to be twice as wide as it is high. Of course, this crate can be made with partitions for the carriage of eggs, produce, etc., and these partitions may be taken out and put beneath the sides 15 when the latter are turned down. Thus these partitions will not add anythin to the thickness of the folded crate. Preferably corner irons will be disposed on the top of the crate at each corner. I As the crate has horizontal slats with heavy corner posts, the crate is particularly substantial and will last a relatively long time against the shocks, ars and other accidents of travel.

While I have illustrated and preferably use a crate formed with longitudinal slats, it will be understood that the side and end walls and top of the crate might be of solid wood. and the crate in this case having more the form of a box. I do not wish to be limited, therefore, to the use of these slats.

I claim A crate of the character described comprising a bottom, end walls and side walls, each 7 including corner posts, the corner posts of the end walls being hinged to the bottom whereby to permit the end walls to be turned clownward and inward toward the bottom, the corner posts of the side walls being disposed in the same plane as the cornerposts of the end walls when the side walls are in a vertical position but the corner posts of the side walls being hinged. inward of the corner posts'of the end walls whereby the end walls straddle the folded side walls when the end'walls are folded down upon the side walls, a cover comprising a rectangular frame, slats attached to the frame, the frame extending downward from the slats whereby to engage against the outer faces of the corner posts of the end walls when the corner posts of the end walls are turned into collapsed position, and transverse braces attached to the slats and terminating short or" the side members connecting the top to the bottom when the of the frame whereby to engage the upper 'parts are in collapsed condition and for holdmargins of the side Walls between the ends ing the top in position upon the side walls 10 I of the transverse members and the frame when the side walls are in erect position.

5 when the side walls are in raised position, In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my the top or cover and the bottom being prosignature. Vided with eoacting straps and buckles for KENT KANE MGENTYRE. 

